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Entering its 17th season, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is poised to kick off in a couple of months, unleashing intense competition among ten teams vying for the prestigious title. One team that has consistently featured prominently in the tournament but has yet to clinch the coveted trophy even once is the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Despite boasting superstars who have been central to the 17-year journey, including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell, the star-studded lineup has fallen short of converting their potential into a championship victory.
Sunil Gavaskar identifies the standout player to keep an eye on
As a three-time finalist, RCB are gearing up to embark on yet another journey in the quest for IPL glory, aiming to finally end their drought of lifting the trophy. With the tournament on the horizon, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has identified the player who could play a pivotal role in helping RCB break their trophy drought.
In a recent discussion on Star Sports, cricketing icon Gavaskar shared his perspective on RCB prospects in the upcoming season of the cash-rich league. Gavaskar believed that the key to RCB’s success lies in the performance of the Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who showcased his potential with both bat and ball in the previous edition of the league.
“This player will have to perform better than last year because of the price you bought him for. Yes, I agree he scored a century as well for the Mumbai Indians last year. However, he will have to perform better than that because you should recover the price you bought him for and the Mumbai Indians didn’t recover that,” Gavaskar said.
RCB secured the services of Green for a significant ₹17.50 crore during the IPL 2024 auction, acquiring him from the Mumbai Indians (MI). This strategic move allowed MI to bring in Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Also READ: IPL 2024: AB de Villiers names the potential ‘X-Factor’ player for RCB
Optimism and reservations
Gavaskar, while optimistic about Green’s batting prowess, expressed reservations about his effectiveness with the ball. During IPL 2023, Green made a significant impact with the bat, amassing 452 runs in 16 innings at a striking rate of 160.28. However, Gavaskar noted that there is room for improvement in Green’s bowling performance, as he managed to secure only six wickets in 38 overs with an economy rate of 9.50.
“He has to do something not only in batting but bowling as well. He can deliver with the bat because he has that ability. He can play the big shots. He is well-organized in batting. I won’t depend on his bowling. He just has a long follow through and nothing more than that. People say he can hit the top of the bat. We didn’t see that in Australia as well. He was probably not 100% fit at that time,” the 74-year-old added.
Potential role in the RCB’s playing XI
When asked about Green’s potential slot in the RCB lineup, Gavaskar suggested that a finisher role would be perfectly suitable for the talented all-rounder.
“I feel he will be a finisher only because they already have top-order batters. (Rajat) Patidar will play at No. 3. Your top two will be Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli. (Glenn) Maxwell will come at No. 4,” Gavaskar concluded.
